Going Underground

[Mick F]

We have a mine adit under our house leading to Drakewalls Mine. It used to supply copper and arsenic up until it closed circa 1900.

The adit is a slightly uphill passage about half a mile long up to the mining area hundreds of feet under Drakewalls as drainage for the mine.
Drakewalls is the hamlet at the top of Gunnislake Hill. The mine buildings are still there, sort of restored and visitor friendly surrounded by contaminated land.

The adit is entered not far from our house, and shortly a few of us are going in. You open a hatch, step down a vertical ladder, and off you go into the darkness and damp ........

Providing I come out fit and well, there will be photos for you to peruse.

[Vantage]

Why do I have this image of you running out from the mine, getting on your bike and cycling away whilst being chased by the German army on motorbikes as you jump a barbed wire fence?

[Edwards]

Why do I have this image of you running out from the mine, getting on your bike and cycling away whilst being chased by the German army on motorbikes as you jump a barbed wire fence?

Sir that is classic thank you, I nearly chocked laughing so much.

[ferrit worrier]

Lucky you looking forward to the pictures have a good look at the timber under your drive

[Nettled Shin]

Mick, are you there?
.........................Miiiiiiick?

Anyone got the number for Mines Rescue?

[ferrit worrier]

Mick, are you there?
.........................Miiiiiiick?

Anyone got the number for Mines Rescue?

Not off hand but I do know a couple of lads in the Derbyshire cave resue organisation. and you do have the Cambourne School of mining just down the road

Now, not that I want to worry you, but!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18016191

[Mick F]

Hi guys!
Safe and sound!

After the nine of us came out, we all went to the boozer ...............

Here's some piccies as promised.

It took us nearly 40mins to walk up as far as we could go perhaps half a mile - there's a "bottomless" lake there that we believe to be hundreds of fathoms deep. Originally, the steam lifting engines would have kept it dry.

The adit was dug in 1873 and it took six years to complete. It was the first use of the "widow maker" steam powered drill. The air shaft is for ventilation and access for the removal of much of the spoil - we have a heap pilled next to our drive. The air shaft has been boarded up at the bottom and back-filled. The top is on our drive where there's a pronounced dip in the tarmac!

The adit floor is of soft sand and silt with running water throughout. Wellies are rather necessary as in places it's nearly a foot deep. The air is dry, despite the damp walls and running water, and the air clean smelling.

All in all, a great experience and one of our party remarked - "I didn't know what to expect, but I didn't expect it like that!"

[Goosey]

Beautiful colours down there!

[Mick F]

Beautiful colours down there!

Here's another shot of the blue - or is it turquoise?
The camera has caught the colour exactly right.

I understand it's copper sulphate.

[ferrit worrier]

Brilliant Mick! The blue is Chrysocolla, hydrous copper silicate, generally blue as in your mine, somtimes the colours can vary dependent on additional metalic elements We've got some at Alderley Edge and it varies from pale blue / turquoise to dark blue and even green. Acidic water leechs out the copper elements then deposits them on the rock. Beautiful to look at when wet but it looses it lustre when dry

Malc

[rjb]

That brown stuff looks just like the contents of my jar of Marmite What's it like on toast

[DavidT]

That's great stuff! Thanks for sharing this.

[Mick F]

Brilliant Mick! The blue is Chrysocolla, hydrous copper silicate, generally blue as in your mine, somtimes the colours can vary dependent on additional metalic elements We've got some at Alderley Edge and it varies from pale blue / turquoise to dark blue and even green. Acidic water leechs out the copper elements then deposits them on the rock. Beautiful to look at when wet but it looses it lustre when dry

Thanks for that Malc.

Mrs Mick F picked up some stones whilst we were in there. She's going to a colleague's wedding later this month and the bride wants some stones and pebbles from people - stones and pebbles that mean something in particular to the giver. Her's will be from under our house! She picked a few, some with the blue Chrysocolla on them, and quite right, they lose their lustre when dry, though the colour is still vivid.

That brown stuff looks just like the contents of my jar of Marmite What's it like on toast

I didn't try it, it was looked too yukky to say the least.

[J25GTi]

Hi Mick,

I live in the area and was wondering where the entrance is to this? As it seems to have escaped my attentions! Looks very interesting! Have you explored any others locally?

Ta

Jamie

[JohnW]

I've only just looked on this Mick - brilliant - and how interesting. I find myself a little bit envious.